Fresh off an impressive 2016 (regular) season, the Red Sox hit the ground running in regards to their offseason plans by flexing their muscles at the Major League Baseball winter meetings.

Boston improved its team in a variety of ways, but obviously in no bigger way than acquiring All-Star left-handed pitcher Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox in one of the biggest trades in team history.

The big news has some folks left picking up the pieces with plenty of questions to ask. We did our best to answer all of them.

Who is Chris Sale?He’s a pitcher. A good one. How’s life under that rock?

How much money does Chris Sale make?This is one of the best parts of the trade for the Red Sox. Sale is owed $12 million in 2017, and he has team options for a combined $26 million in 2018 and 2019 that I guarantee the Red Sox will exercise. Three years, $38 million. Side note: Rich Hill just signed for three years and $48 million.

Does he have any sort of cool nickname?Depends whether you consider “The Condor” a cool nickname.

Can he handle the stress of pitching in Boston?We won’t actually know for sure until the season starts, but John Farrell certainly is a believer, and you’ve gotta love what Sale said Wednesday when asked about being “the ace” of a star-studded Red Sox staff.

“We play for a trophy, not a tag.”

Is he a good fit for Fenway?Well, first of all, he loves pitching at Fenway. Said as much Wednesday. His career numbers at Fenway: six appearances (three starts), 1-1, 3.63 ERA, 23 K’s in 22 1/3 innings pitched.

What about the Yankees? Is he any good against them?Uh, yeah.

Chris Sale: 1.17 ERA vs Yankees is lowest by any pitcher in last 100 years (min . 50 IP).

Who starts Opening Day?You’ve got two Cy Young Award winners (David Price, Rick Porcello) and Sale. Who really cares? If we had to make a guess, we’d say Sale.

Is this the best rotation in baseball?In the American League, for sure. In all of baseball? The Chicago Cubs might have something to say about that, as we discussed Wednesday morning. And that’s all assuming everyone stays healthy and assuming 2017 Porcello somehow doesn’t revert to 2015 Porcello

Who’s the odd man (or men) out on the Red Sox’s pitching staff?You know, a lot of these questions could be answered just by reading NESN.com, as we tackled this topic already, too. But the Red Sox do have options, as they now have at least seven starters for five spots. As any baseball cliche enthusiast will tell you, a team can never have too much pitching. That being said, the Red Sox could use another bat, and Clay Buchholz has one year and “only” $13 million left on his contract … just facts.

Will the Red Sox even field minor league teams this season?Get it? Because they traded a bunch of prospects. Losing a player like Yoan Moncada hurts, as does parting ways with someone like Michael Kopech, who can throw a baseball in excess of 100 mph. Those guys don’t come around often. But you’ve gotta give something to get something, and as we’ve already explored, the Red Sox do have *some* prospects left over.

What kind of a guy is Chris Sale?Never met the guy, but he seems OK, right? He also seems excited to play for the Red Sox, which is all you can really ask for if you’re a fan of the team. He definitely strikes us as a “wears his emotions on his sleeves” kind of guy, as both Victor Martinez and a water cooler can attest.

He’s also left-handed, so he might be a little strange. In a good way.

Will this be enough to get David Ortiz to return?Great question. We’re leaning toward no, despite Big Papi’s not-so-subtle social media tease Tuesday night, hours after the Red Sox acquired Sale. Ortiz sounded beat up and worn down, and you gotta imagine he’ll enjoy the retired life once he settles in … but you never know.

How do the Red Sox not win the World Series now?They’re certainly among the favorites, and that’s certainly the expectation. Given their success last season (93 wins, American League East champions) and what they’ve done this offseason, the Red Sox have set themselves up for legitimate World Series aspirations. Anything else, quite frankly, will be a disappointment.

Offense should be hard to come by when you’re playing the Boston Red Sox in 2017.

The Red Sox on Tuesday acquired Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox in a blockbuster trade that sets up Boston to have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball for the next two or three years — at least.

Boston already has 2012 Cy Young Award winner David Price and reigning Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, but Sale might be the best of the three.

Here’s what makes the left-handed ace so good:

THE ARSENALFastball: Sale threw his fastball 59.2 percent of the time in 2016 (per FanGraphs). The velocity was down a tick in 2016 (more on that in a bit), but Sale still brings it. When he needs an extra few mph, he’s able to reach back and dial it up around 97 or 98 mph. Sale got hitters to swing and miss on 10.82 percent of his four-seam fastballs in 2016 and 6.94 percent of his “sinkers,” according to Brooks Baseball.

Slider: Sale used the slider a whopping 24.9 percent of the time in 2016, which isn’t entirely surprising. At its best, the pitch is unhittable for left-handed hitters. Right-handed hitters don’t fare much better, especially given its sharp, late break. Right-handed hitters have been known to swing at pitches that either hit their back leg or come close.

If you swing at the slider, you likely won’t hit it. Opposing hitters swung and missed at 35.5 percent of his sliders in 2016, which actually was down from 38.7 in 2015.

Changeup: Sale used his changeup just 15.7 percent of the time in 2016, down 12 percent from 2015, with an uptick in slider use. It’s kind of unfair, but Sale’s changeup can be just as effective as the fastball and slider and makes both of those pitches even better — he’s able to keep righties honest with the arm-side changeup on the outer half to set up the vicious slider/fastball combo. Sale’s whiff rate on changeups in 2016 was nearly 15 percent.

If you compared Sale’s swing-and-miss numbers from 2016 to the rest of his career, one thing stands out: the whiff rates are down across the board. As is velocity. But that was by design. Sale and White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper devised a plan to keep the pitcher fresh for the entire season.

“Listen, this wasn’t an easy decision going to the ‘hybrid,’ ” Cooper said of his plan in mid-September, per CSN Chicago. “You’re messing with one of the top guys in the game. If it don’t work, what the (heck) are you doing? What were you thinking about? But I kind of knew in my heart and my head that our biggest job is to keep him healthy and strong.”

The Red Sox would be smart to use a similar strategy.

THE MECHANICS
Here’s a slow-motion look at Sale’s windup.

Labeling Sale’s mechanics “unconventional” is an understatement.

He stays tall to start his windup, which is ideal, but things get different as he starts to plant his lead foot. Sale’s landing foot points toward the first base line, leaving him to throw across his body. That combined with a three-quarters arm angle allows Sale to get extra whip on the baseball.

Here are better looks at the release point:

Photo via Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports Images

Photo via Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports Images

There was plenty of talk in 2016 about Price’s mechanics, but don’t expect similar conversations about Sale — assuming he stays healthy. The White Sox didn’t tinker with his mechanics at all after drafting him out of Florida Gulf Coast University, where he started using the lower release point, changing his career forever.

Some wonder whether Sale’s mechanics paired with his size will cause arm issues down the road. Cooper doesn’t expect that to happen.

“Quacks,” White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper snarled. “I’ve devoted my life to mechanics. It’s something I’ve put a lot of time into. And I resent all of that: Is he going to be healthy? Is he going to stay healthy? Is he going to need Tommy John surgery?

“These are quacks. Show me your credentials.”

OTHER THOUGHTS
One of the biggest things you notice when watching Sale pitch is how uncomfortable he makes opposing hitters. There aren’t many — if any — pitchers who make batters more uncomfortable in the box.

Here he is, on the 118th pitch of his outing, getting two-time batting champion Jose Altuve to wave at a pitch:

And no one’s happier to see Sale in Boston than Pablo Sandoval.

It makes sense, too. He obviously has ridiculous stuff, and the unusual arm angle makes him lethal against righties and lefties alike, although it’s to the point where he rarely sees left-handed hitters.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Sale has been elite his entire big league career, and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change anytime soon. That’s nothing groundbreaking, of course, as he’s widely (and correctly) considered one of baseball’s best pitchers.

The Red Sox already were a good team, evidenced by their American League East title in 2016, but adding one of the best pitchers in baseball to a rotation that already includes David Price and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello is a huge move that should increase Boston’s chances of landing its fourth World Series title since 2004.

That said, it’s not like the Red Sox failed to pay a high price, as Moncada and Kopech are two of baseball’s most highly regarded farmhands.

So did Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski make the right decision by going all in for 2017? Who’s now the odd man out in Boston’s revamped rotation? What other moves could be in store?

NESN.com’s Ricky Doyle and Mike Cole conducted a Facebook live chat Tuesday immediately following reports that Boston had landed Sale. Hear their reaction, thoughts and analysis in the video above.

Although the Major League Baseball offseason has been underway for about a month, this week’s winter meetings could mark the beginning of the real wheeling and dealing.

MLB owners and the players’ union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement last week, likely suppressing some of the hesitance certain teams had toward making moves. Now, all 30 organizations are in Maryland, where free-agent signings and trades figure to dominate the news cycle.

So, which teams will make the biggest splash? Where will the big names land? Will the Boston Red Sox swing from the heels in their quest to replace David Ortiz?

We answer those questions and more in the latest episode of The Dish, which can be viewed above.

It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the Boston Red Sox, but don’t be surprised if that changes soon.

Major League Baseball avoided any sort of prolonged labor issue by coming to terms with the players’ union on a new collective bargaining agreement Wednesday night, essentially lighting the hot stove.

Additionally, the winter meetings begin Sunday, meaning teams are ready to open for business.

The Red Sox don’t have a pressing need for major upgrades as they did a year ago, when president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski acquired a No. 1 pitcher (David Price) and closer (Craig Kimbrel). Boston won the American League East this season and is well positioned for more success moving forward.

However, the Cleveland Indians swept the Red Sox out of the American League Division Series, a clear indication the club isn’t where it or its fans want it to be. Which brings us to the offseason.

In his previous stops with the Montreal Expos, Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers, Dombrowski displayed a willingness to wheel and deal during the offseason. He’s made more than 30 offseason trades during his career, most recently landing Kimbrel in a big move last November.

Don’t be shocked if there’s another significant deal looming. There are all the makings for another big Dombrowski blockbuster.

The Red Sox are a good team, but in order to be great, they need to add starting pitching depth. There’s one small problem, of course: This free-agent starting pitching market is horrendous.

Rich Hill, the best free agent pitcher, will be 37 on Opening Day, and his career-high in innings (195) came 10 years ago. He’s logged just 292.1 innings in nine combined seasons since. The cupboard, you could say, is bare.

If Dombrowski and the Sox want to add a legitimate starting pitcher, they must do so via trade. Frontline starters like the Chicago White Sox’s Chris Sale, Oakland A’s right-hander Sonny Gray or even Detroit’s Justin Verlander come to mind, but they won’t come cheap. Those teams know the market is thin, therefore allowing them to drive up the price. And if those sorts of pitchers aren’t moved this winter, their clubs can hold off and wait until the trade deadline, where they can take advantage of teams hoping to add a top-of-the-rotation starter for the stretch run.

Will Dombrowski take the plunge and make a big deal? If his history is any indication, he certainly won’t shy away from doing so.

Here’s a small sampling of what Dombrowski has done over the winter in recent years.

Still with the Tigers, Dombrowski needed an outfielder and made a great call in getting Cespedes, who was a 4-win player in just 102 games with the Tigers. Giving up Porcello wasn’t ideal, but the Tigers eventually turned Cespedes into 2016 American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer via a draft pick, which is pretty good.

In another bold move, Dombrowski sent Fielder and his enormous contract in a trade that not only netted Kinsler — an All-Star and Gold Glove winner since being acquired — but also freed up first base, allowing Miguel Cabrera to move across the diamond from third base to a less taxing position.

Why make a two-team trade when you can make a three-team swap? All things considered, Dombrowski and the Tigers made out like bandits in acquiring Scherzer, a future Cy Young winner. The other three all contributed at the major league level, highlighted by Coke who appeared in 299 games over five seasons in Motown.

If you’re a Red Sox fan, this one should make you feel really good about Dombrowski’s potential this winter. Cabrera has provided the Tigers with a staggering 51 wins above replacement since this 2007 blockbuster, winning two MVPs and staking his claim as one of the greatest right-handed hitters of the last 25 or even 50 years. And while his success in the 2016 playoffs makes Miller stick out like a sore thumb, it took him four or five years (and a move to the bullpen) after the trade to really become the pitcher we know him as today. Other than that, Dombrowski gave up relatively nothing to acquire one of the greatest players of this era.

There’s also the chance Dombrowski looks to shed some payroll this winter. While a trade for a pitcher like Verlander obviously would come with a lot of financial responsibility, the Red Sox could opt to go a different direction. We’re not saying Boston will sell this offseason, but the Red Sox might be smart to listen to deals on their own pricey veterans, especially given the latest luxury tax threshold changes in the newest collective bargaining agreement.

Has Dombrowski had some misses over the years? Sure. Any baseball executive — especially at the volume which he deals — will have a misfire, and Dombrowski’s no different. But this is what the Red Sox hired him to do.

There’s certainly reason to believe he’ll be busy this winter, and the track record, on the whole, should encourage Red Sox fans.

In this week’s episode of “The Hurry-Up,” hosted by Rachel Holt, we look ahead to Week 13 as the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams. NESN.com Patriots beat writers Zack Cox and Doug Kyed preview the game with Michaela Vernava.

Later, Darren Hartwell tells you who you should add in your fantasy football league, and Mike Cole gives lock and upset predictions for the week. Finally, Ricky Doyle plays everyone’s favorite game: “Show and Tell.”

Watch the entire show above, and return all season for future episodes of “The Hurry-Up.”

First place in five of the eight divisions are separated by a game or less, putting a huge emphasis on every contest the rest of the way. Things will get even crazier when you consider December is upon us, and the weather won’t improve any time soon.

This week’s a weird one, though, as there are no divisional matchups. No worries, though, as there are plenty of can’t-miss showdowns starting Thursday night. Perhaps the best news? The Cleveland Browns are off this week.

Here’s how the NESN.com NFL picks crew fared last week and for the season.

Mike Cole: 9-6-1 (72-98-7): The blind squirrel found a nut last week.Andre Khatchaturian: 6-9-1 (76-94-7): Rough week, and now Mike’s on his heels.Ricky Doyle: 9-6-1 (80-90-7): Another big week should wrap this up for Ricky.

(-3) Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings, Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Cowboys. Love that the line is down to 3, which is probably a trap of some sorts, but Dallas has been able to control the clock against everyone this season, so why would that change now? And if they build a lead, Sam Bradford ain’t coming back.Andre: Cowboys. Dallas’ biggest weakness is that they don’t force turnovers and they allow 5.9 yards per play (27th in the NFL). But that won’t matter against Minnesota. Dallas wins because they lead the league in time of possession, five-minute drives and 10-play drives. I don’t think Minnesota has enough to keep the Cowboys off the field.Ricky: Cowboys. It didn’t take a genius to see Minnesota’s early-season success was a product of their defense playing out of its mind. With that level proving unsustainable and an offense that consistently struggles to move the football, we’re seeing the Vikings for what they are and it isn’t all that pretty.

Los Angeles Rams at (-13.5) New England Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike:Rams. Just too many points, in my humble opinion. A late score gets the Rams a backdoor cover.Andre: Patriots. All of this talk about the Patriots defense being a weakness will be put to rest when New England shuts down the hapless Rams, who managed to accumulate just 247 yards against the Saints defense in Week 12. The Pats are also 5-1 in their last six games ATS when favored by double-digits. I’ll also take Bill Belichick against a rookie quarterback any day of the week.Ricky: Patriots. This is a lot of points, and Jared Goff gave Los Angeles a reason for optimism last week despite the Saints trouncing the Rams in New Orleans. But I’m still not betting against the Patriots in this particular situation, as it’s hard to imagine the Rams’ offense keeping pace with the hosts’ offense, even with New England’s obvious defensive flaws.

Detroit Lions at (-5.5) New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Saints. At some point, the Lions losing in the fourth quarter of literally every single game is going to catch up with them. It might be here against a Saints team that’s especially good in the first half at home (17 points per game), a team that might build a lead too big even for Matt Stafford and the Lions to erase.Andre: Lions. Any time you give me the Lions with that many points, I’ll take them. All of their games have been decided by seven points or fewer, and they are more than capable of being in a shootout against the Saints. Matt Stafford has 12 touchdowns and just one interception in the last seven games and he has faced some tough defenses in that span (Rams, Texans, Vikings twice, Jaguars).Ricky: Saints. The Lions don’t exactly get after the quarterback — 25th in the NFL with 20 sacks, last with 41 QB hurries — and the Saints have done a good job of keeping Drew Brees upright. If Brees has time to throw, he’ll make you pay, and New Orleans’ running back tandem of Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower is proving just as dangerous of late.

(-1.5) Philadelphia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Bengals. Both teams are dead, so let’s take the points and the home team.Andre: Eagles. Philadelphia is in the middle of the pack in sacks but they’re third in defensive hurries with 87. Andy Dalton has been sacked 32 times this year (second-most) and he hasn’t performed particularly well in the last three weeks against solid defenses (Giants, Bills and Ravens). Not having A.J. Green isn’t going to help either.Ricky: Bengals. The Eagles are 1-5 on the road, where they’re averaging 4.9 yards per play and giving up 6 yards per play. The banged-up Bengals hardly instill confidence, but I like them here.

Houston Texans at (-6.5) Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Packers. I liked the Packers’ matchup last week, and I like it even more this week. Green Bay’s defense showed signs of life against a mediocre Eagles offense on Monday, and they should have similar success against Brock Osweiler and Co. Oh, and Aaron Rodgers’ passer rating over the last six games? 104.1.Andre: Packers. Green Bay’s pass rush is underrated. They’re fifth in the league in sack percentage and Brock Osweiler under pressure isn’t a recipe for success. Side note: Where the heck is DeAndre Hopkins? Zero touchdowns in his last six games.Ricky: Packers. If the Packers can bottle up Lamar Miller and make Houston’s offense one-dimensional, they shouldn’t have a problem covering at home with Aaron Rodgers playing the way he is right now.

Kansas City Chiefs at (-3.5) Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 1 p.m.Mike: Chiefs. The Falcons’ offensive line is sneaky leaky, which is bad news given how Justin Houston played last week. It’s even worse news if Dee Ford returns.Andre: Chiefs. The Chiefs lead the league in takeaways, turnover differential and have Justin Houston, who looked better than ever in Kansas City’s win over Denver with 10 tackles and three sacks. The Chiefs also don’t turn the ball over (just three giveaways in the last seven games) and we all know how important ball security is for the Chiefs’ success.Ricky: Chiefs. The Falcons already lost Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant for the season. Now, it appears they’ll be without one of their better pass rushers, Adrian Clayborn, for some time. Count on Marcus Peters to lock down Julio Jones and for the Chiefs’ inconsistent offense to do enough to possibly sneak out of Atlanta with a win.

Miami Dolphins at (-3) Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Ravens. Miami keeps finding ways to win, but this is a big test, especially against the NFL’s No. 1 rushing defense. The Fins could have even more trouble scoring given some injuries on the offensive line and to receiver DeVante Parker.Andre: Dolphins. The Dolphins lead the league in defensive hurries with 83 and Cameron Wake is a beast with 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in the past six games. Miami has 11 takeaways compared to just two giveaways during their six-game winning streak.Ricky: Ravens. For whatever it’s worth, these teams have stunk against the spread in December recently: Miami is 5-15 ATS in its last 20 December games and Baltimore is 0-11 in its last 11 such contests. Someone has to jump out of the loss column in this one, though, and we’re betting it’ll be the Ravens, who should be able to take advantage of the Dolphins’ banged-up offensive line and neutralize Miami’s typically explosive rushing attack.

(-5) Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Broncos. Denver now finds itself on the outside looking in of the playoff picture, and it needs this win in a bad way. Expect the Broncos to take advantage of the the NFL’s worst team in terms of turnover differential.Andre: Broncos. Here’s the only thing you need to know about this game: Jacksonville has the second-most giveaways in football this year with 22 and the Broncos have the third-most takeaways with 20.Ricky: Broncos. See above. It’s going to be a long afternoon for Blake Bortles, who keeps proving he’s not a good NFL quarterback.

San Francisco 49ers at (-1) Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Bears. Don’t watch this football game.Andre: Bears. For a bad team, the Bears aren’t that bad. They have the fifth-best yards per play differential and they’re going up against the Niners who have the worst yards per play differential.Ricky: 49ers. San Francisco’s unbelievably bad run defense — the Niners have allowed an NFL-worst 5.1 yards per carry and 171.8 rushing yards per game — almost steered me toward Chicago. Then, I remembered Matt Barkley is playing quarterback for the Bears. And Colin Kaepernick, regardless of what you think of his philosophical views, is playing very well under center for the 49ers.

Buffalo Bills at (-3) Oakland Raiders, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. Mike: Raiders. Rex Ryan’s team already went to California and won a game this season, but that was against the Rams, who turned the ball over three times, including a pick-six. The Raiders probably will take care of the ball a little better than that.Andre: Raiders. Looks like Derek Carr is going to be OK after that injury scare. What’s interesting is that according to ESPN Stats & Info, Carr’s deep ball numbers improved after the injury. While the Bills rely on a heavy pass rush (33 sacks, second), the Raiders have one of the best offensive lines in the league, led by Kelechi Osemele and Donald Penn. Carr has only been sacked 13 times this season.Ricky: Raiders. Is this a sucker’s bet, seeing as how we’re relying on a quarterback who’s coming off a discloated finger that forced Oakland’s offense to operate exclusively out of the shotgun down the stretch in Week 12? Perhaps. But Derek Carr showed no ill effects of the ailment as the Raiders defeated the Panthers, and the Bills, meanwhile, have seen their red-zone defense go from tops in the NFL to 19th over Buffalo’s last five games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (-3.5) San Diego Chargers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Bucs. Tampa Bay is forcing turnovers at an insane rate, getting at least two takeaways in five of their last seven games, winning all five. San Diego, meanwhile, has turned it over at least twice in seven games this season.Andre:Chargers. Hey, Mike. You forgot to mention that the Chargers are pretty good at forcing turnovers, too. They’re second in the league in takeaways with 23. There’s a lot to like about the Bucs, but I think they fall flat after two big wins against the Chiefs and Seahawks.Ricky: Bucs. Figuring out what you’re going to get from either of these teams on a weekly basis is almost pointless, especially now that Tampa Bay’s defense has cleaned itself up in recent weeks after looking like garbage at the beginning of the season. The Bucs are in the playoff hunt and really need a win, though. Plus, you’re giving me more than a field goal? Sure.

Washington Redskins at (-2.5) Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Redskins. The Cardinals’ overall defensive numbers look good, but things are starting to fall apart as they’ve allowed 30, 20, 30 and 38 points in their last four games. Don’t expect that to change against a high-powered Washington offense.Andre: Redskins. I’m in love with Washington’s offensive line. Kirk Cousins has only been sacked 14 times this season and if he gets protection, I can see him making plays. The Redskins have also been putting pressure on quarterbacks all season long with 28 sacks (7th) and Arizona’s line is very shaky as their quarterbacks have been sacked 33 times this season (third-most).Ricky: Cardinals. It’s been a disappointing season in the desert, and the Redskins’ offense can put up points. But I can’t stop imagining David Johnson going off against a terrible Washington run defense that ranks 31st in the NFL with 4.7 yards allowed per carry.

New York Giants at (-6) Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike:Steelers. The Giants are technically one of the NFL’s hottest teams, although they’ve been winning against clubs like Cleveland, Los Angeles and Chicago. While I’m still not sold on Pittsburgh, the Steelers are averaging 28.3 points per game in the six full games they’ve had Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown.Andre: Giants. The Giants are for real. They allow just 5.1 yards per play (7th) and after struggling to force turnovers in the early part of the season, they’ve forced 11 in the last five weeks and have a plus-five turnover differential in that span.Ricky: Giants. The Steelers have won back-to-back games following their four-game losing streak, but keep in mind those victories came against the lowly Browns and a Scott Tolzien-led Colts team. Granted, you also could make the case the Giants have beat up on bad teams during their six-game winning streak, but New York’s defense passes the eyeball test, and Eli Manning should find success against Pittsburgh’s questionable secondary. This spread seems a little high.

Carolina Panthers at (6.5) Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Panthers. The Seahawks should win this game, but Carolina gets after the quarterback (third in sacks), which is how you beat most teams in the NFL.Andre: Panthers. What Mike said.Ricky: Seahawks. Seattle’s offense scored just three points — three! — in a 14-5 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 12. The unit was performing well in the weeks leading up to that matchup, though, so don’t panic. Defensive studs Michael Bennett and Earl Thomas, as well as starting center Justin Britt, are expected to return for Seattle this week, while Carolina again will be without its defensive leader, Luke Kuechly.

(-2.5) Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets, Monday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Colts. The Colts will get a boost from the likely return of Andrew Luck, but facing the Jets doesn’t hurt, either. There’s also a little revenge factor here after the Jets stomped Indy on a Monday night last season.Andre: Jets. The Jets defense has been excellent as of late. They’ve allowed just 4.7 yards per play in the last three games. Andrew Luck has also been sacked more than any quarterback in the NFL. I think the Jets resurgent defense puts pressure on Luck, forces a few turnovers and wins at home.Ricky: Jets. I’d feel better about this pick if the Jets’ supposed No. 1 cornerback, Darrelle Revis, actually wanted to play football. But either way, I’ll take the home team and the points, especially with New York’s defense showing life and Indianapolis’ knack for letting Andrew Luck get punched in the mouth every week he plays.

It’s easy to sometimes wonder whether New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is even capable of loving.

That probably is a little harsh, but a quick Google Images search for “Bill Belichick” produces countless instances of a stone-faced Belichick either pacing the Patriots’ sideline or deflecting questions at the press conference podium. Instances of emotion of any kind are rare, let alone a smile.

But if you want to turn that scowl into a smile a la The Grinch, just ask him about punters. Sure, you can get Belichick to open up (relatively speaking, of course) by asking him about things like lacrosse, the Naval Academy, Halloween or the good old days, but nothing seems to fire up the head coach more than a chat about the kicking game, specifically the art of punting.

Belichick raved Wednesday about Los Angeles Rams punter Johhny Hekker, for whom Belichick had ultimate praise. He even went as far to call Hekker a “weapon” for the Rams. A weapon! The punter!

But if you’ve followed Belichick’s career, it’s no secret how much he values the kicking game, especially as it pertains to punters.

Like many aspects of Belichick’s coaching background, much of his influence can be traced back to his father. Maybe that’s where Bill’s love of punting started, as Steve’s area of expertise while working with the Navy football team was, well, you probably could guess.

From David Halberstrom’s Belichick biography “The Education of a Coach”:

“Even after (Steve Belichick) retired, he went back and coached. No one coached punters better than he did, and long after he retired, other coaches would call him for tips on how to handle their punters, who were somehow believed to be different from all other football players.”

It probably should come as no surprise that Belichick spent the early stages of his own coaching career overseeing special teams units across the NFL. The Detroit Lions hired him as assistant special teams coach in 1976, and he served similar roles with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants before the Giants promoted him to linebackers coach and special teams coach in 1980. Four years later, the Giants named him defensive coordinator, and he helped New York win two Super Bowl titles.

The infatuation with punters, however, was far from over as he ascended to head coach in Cleveland before landing with the Patriots.

It’s maybe a bit ironic, all things considered, a punt almost dearly cost the Patriots during their 2003 Super Bowl season. A bad punt almost facilitated a miracle comeback for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11, a loss that could have cost the Patriots home-field advantage. Even after the Patriots won the Super Bowl — beating Indy at home to get there — Belichick lamented the punting issues.

From “The Education of a Coach”:

“Can you believe we’re here,” Belichick told Ernie Adams just before the second Super Bowl started. “We can’t run the ball, we can’t punt the ball, and we can’t snap for field goals.”

The Patriots finished 28th in net punt yardage that season.

Over the years, mostly in New England, Belichick has progressively opened up in media sessions or in interviews, especially if the topic of punting came up.

“You hardly see anybody go for the sidelines any more,” bemoaned Belichick in a 2009 story on punting in The New York Times. “Show me a punter who coffin corners. You don’t see it. They don’t do it.”

In an ESPN.com story about emergency punters in 2011, Belichick gave a great answer about punting technique, comparing it to golf, an analogy he’s used on more than occasion.

From the ESPN.com story:

“There are plenty of things that go into the punting position,” said Belichick. “It’s not like standing out on the driving range, teeing it up, and hitting it as far as you can. Situation punting is probably over half the game in punting, whether it’s directional punting, rushes, plus-50, end-of-the-game or end-of-half-type situations. One deep, two deep, overload rushes, I mean you can just keep going.

“There are a million things that the punter has to deal with — the punter, the whole punt team, personal protector, snapper, [things] that everyone has to deal with. There’s certainly a lot more to it than just catching the ball and kicking it as far as you can, so that’s something we work on every week and it changes every week. Every team we play is different and then you always have to deal with the conditions and the situation within the game so there’s plenty of stuff going on there.”

Any discussion about Belichick’s punt preferences must include his love for left-footed punters. As NFL.com pointed out in 2013, Belichick started each of his first 14 seasons with a left-footed punter, a streak that ultimately continued with Ryan Allen, who’s been the Patriots’ punter since 2013. Belichick chalked it up as a “coincidence,” but we’re not buying it.

There also was the time last season he gave a 628-word answer to a question about the emergence of rugby-style punting in the NFL.

“I don’t know if it’s a popularity contest or if it’s a political thing,” Belichick said in 2009, per ProFootballTalk.com. “I don’t know what it is. It’s hard for me to believe that, as great as this game is, that there are no punters and one kicker in the Hall of Fame. We can argue that they only play ‘X’ number of plays and everybody else plays a different number of plays but they’re still significant players at their position. Again, what the criteria is for them, I don’t know.”

If and when we see a Hall of Fame punter — Hekker, perhaps? — it won’t be overstating the matter to say that someone with the pedigree of Belichick and his infatuation, admiration and respect for the position and those play it played a big role in the change.

The New England Patriots beat the New York Jets on Sunday in relatively unspectacular fashion.

Despite a choppy start to the game with early struggles, especially on the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots found a way to earn a 22-17 win at MetLife Stadium.

New England escaped with the victory over a Jets team that’s playing out the string and honestly might benefit more from losing and improving its draft position than actually winning. The Patriots won, but they never really came close throughout the game to covering a 9-point spread (although LeGarrette Blount almost covered it with a late run), for whatever that’s actually worth.

On the surface, it wasn’t the most glamorous win for the Patriots, a team that’s built a ridiculous résumé of gaudy wins in the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era. But you could make the case Sunday’s win against the Jets was the Patriots’ most impressive of the season.

Here’s why:

The travel
An unfortunate travel schedule is not unique to the Patriots, but it’s one of the things that makes winning in the NFL so difficult. New England went west last week to play the San Francisco 49ers in a relatively physical game played in the rain that actually was much closer than most expected, at least for a half. The game ended around 8 p.m. ET, with the Patriots then flying home overnight, losing three hours in the process. Meanwhile, the Jets waited at home … fresh off their bye. So while the Jets had two weeks to prepare for the Patriots, New England was dealing with a relatively “short week.”

The injuries
Again, the Patriots aren’t dealing with anything the other 31 teams don’t have to, but it didn’t take a football scholar to see Brady’s knee injury bothered him Sunday. The injury even caused Brady to miss practice earlier in the week, which is valuable prep time, particularly in a shortened week. Tight end Rob Gronkowski spent the week with his status in jeopardy, and it was a bit surprising to see him on the field Sunday in New Jersey. His stint was relatively short-lived, though, as Gronkowski exited and didn’t return after suffering a back injury in the first quarter.

Brady summed it up best after the game: “I think everybody is battling through different things. You just do the best you can do. It’s a long season. Every week starts fresh again. I’m glad it’s over, and I’m glad we won.”

The Patriots made plays when they needed to make plays
On both sides of the ball, the Patriots stepped up in crucial moments.

Offensively, it was a slog in the early going. Brady completed just one of his first five passes on the day for a mere 9 yards. New England never really found its offensive groove, at least not until the fourth quarter after the Jets took a 17-13 lead with just over 10 minutes to play. As he’s done many times, Brady orchestrated a brilliant fourth-quarter comeback, completing 10 of 16 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown in the final frame. That included a gorgeous pitch-and-catch with Malcolm Mitchell, perfectly dropping it into the rookie’s hands on an out route coming out of the two-minute warning.

But the Patriots’ much-maligned defense also stepped up. Much has been made about New England’s inability to get takeaways, especially when they were needed most, but the Patriots came up with a pair of crucial forced turnovers Sunday. First, it was Malcolm Butler punching out and then recovering a fumble on a long would-be first down to Robby Anderson. Then, with the Jets trying to stage a desperation comeback, Chris Long’s strip sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick all but sealed the game for New England.

It’s hard to win games in the NFL
Look, there’s a reason only two teams in the Super Bowl era have finished the regular season without a loss. It’s hard to win a game in the NFL (ask the Browns), and it’s even harder to consistently win. The level of difficulty is ratcheted up against a hated division rival on the road. The last seven Patriots-Jets games have been decided by 27 combined points, with the Jets winning two of those games.

“It’s always great to win a division game on the road, so this is certainly a good win for our football team,” Belichick told reporters after the game. “As Tom (Brady) mentioned, it was a long week with the West Coast trip, Thanksgiving and all that. I thought our players did a really good job of working through it, fighting through it, preparing hard.”

Wins like this don’t register high on the glamour scale, but it’s the kind of adversity-driven test that can help springboard deep playoff runs — the kind of runs with which this team is very familiar.

It’s Week 11 of the NFL season. We have a fairly good understanding of which teams will at least compete for a playoff spot and which teams need to step up over the next few weeks to avoid playing meaningless games in late December.

This offers little clarity as it relates to the Westgate SuperContest, though. Less than 10 points separate first (27.5) and last place (18) in the Team OddsShark standings, with the Team NESN representation of Mike Cole and Ricky Doyle sitting in the middle of the pack with 22.5 points.

Mike and Ricky understand that each week is crucial, but they also know they need to start making up ground to contend for a title. As such, here are their Week 11 locks.

Tennessee Titans (+3) vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 1 p.m. Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
The Colts are awful at defending the run, and the Titans feature a formidable rushing attack spearheaded by the AFC’s leading rusher, DeMarco Murray. When you combine that with Marcus Mariota’s recent excellence, Tennessee’s solid pass rush and Indianapolis’ abysmal offensive line, there’s really no reason to not take the Titans, especially if we’re getting points.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+6.5) vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1 p.m.Ford Field, Detroit
The Lions might win, but if Detroit’s first nine games are any indication, it’ll be close. The Lions have trailed in the fourth quarter of every game this season, including their five wins, and they haven’t won by more than six points, making this spread a little too big for our liking.

Baltimore Ravens (+7) vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 1 p.m.AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
The Ravens boast the NFL’s best run defense, allowing just 71.3 yards per game and 3.3 yards per attempt. While they might not shut down Ezekiel Elliott entirely, it’s reasonable to think they’ll contain him to some extent, forcing rookie quarterback Dak Prescott to make more plays than usual. If that’s the case, a seven-point margin seems like a little much. Plus, is it crazy to think Dallas will have a letdown game at some point?

Miami Dolphins (-2.5) vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
The Rams finally are turning to rookie quarterback Jared Goff, who couldn’t possibly be any worse than Case Keenum. That said, it’s asking a lot of the No. 1 overall pick to beat the Dolphins, who have won four in a row to thrust themselves into the AFC playoff picture.

Seattle Seahawks (-6.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, 4:25 p.m.CenturyLink Field, Seattle
The Eagles pulled off an impressive win last week against the Atlanta Falcons, but the jubilation of that victory will be short-lived. Seattle’s physical secondary should have its way with Philadelphia’s lackluster receiving corps, thus making life difficult for rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. It also doesn’t help the Eagles that this game is being played in Seattle — a very difficult place to play — and that they’ve been much, much worse on the road this season.

With that trainwreck in the rear-view mirror, it’s on to Week 11. Here are the picks, with all lines courtesy of our good friends over at OddsShark.

THURSDAY, NOV. 17New Orleans Saints (4-5) at (-3) Carolina Panthers (3-6), 8:25 p.m. ETMike: Saints. This has the makings of a shootout, so I’ll take the offense that’s been more effective, especially if I’m getting points in the process.Andre: Panthers. The Panthers blew a 17-0 lead against Kansas City because the Chiefs’ pass rush is for real. The Saints aren’t going to put much pressure on Cam Newton and we saw what he was able to do last time these teams played, as the Panthers put up 38 points. Carolina’s defense also has improved over the last three weeks. Its pass rush will disrupt Drew Brees and force a couple of key turnovers.Ricky: Saints. The Panthers are 0-3 against divisional opponents this season, which includes a 41-38 loss to the Saints in Week 6. The teams will square off in Carolina this time around, but it won’t matter. The Saints’ offense will continue to roll against a Panthers team that’s just far too inconsistent for my liking. New Orleans is 5-1 against the spread in its last six games. Carolina is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven.

SUNDAY, NOV. 20Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) at (-7) Kansas City Chiefs (7-2), 1 p.m. ETMike: Bucs. I’m starting to love this Chiefs team, and I’ll love them even more when Justin Houston is back to 100 percent. That being said, despite allowing 600 yards a few weeks ago, the Tampa defense has tightened up, forcing 13 turnovers in its last five games.Andre: Chiefs. The Chiefs’ pass rush is back. Ten of Kansas City’s 18 sacks have come over the last three games and Houston might be playing this week. Plus, the Chiefs have the best turnover differential in football (plus-14). Finally, the Bucs are 1-4 against teams that are .500 or better.Ricky: Chiefs. I don’t think Kansas City is getting enough credit. The Chiefs are 17-2 in their last 19 regular-season games dating to last year, and they’ve won in a variety of ways this season. They control the turnover battle, and that should serve them well against a Bucs offense that occasionally gets sloppy.

Baltimore Ravens (5-4) at (-7) Dallas Cowboys (8-1), 1 p.m.Mike: Ravens. Just about everything says the Cowboys are the pick, but I like the Ravens, and I like that they tackle. No team has allowed fewer “big” rushing plays than Baltimore. For that reason alone, I feel they’re undervalued here.Andre: Cowboys. The Ravens’ rush defense is the best in the league, as they allow just 3.3 yards per carry. But that doesn’t matter. The Cowboys went up against the Packers earlier this year on the road when the latter were known for stopping the run, but Ezekiel Elliott still ran all over Green Bay. Plus, nothing the Ravens have done impresses me this season. Three of their five wins have come against Cleveland and Jacksonville.Ricky: Ravens. One could make a case for the Cowboys being the NFL’s best team — I still think the Patriots and Seahawks are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively — and the Ravens have had plenty of problems offensively. But Baltimore’s defense is good enough to cause some problems for rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, so this game should be close, even if Dallas comes out on the winning end.

Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1) at (PK) Minnesota Vikings (5-4), 1 p.m.Mike: Vikings. The schedule-makers thought they had a doozy with this one, and now? Ehhh. Still don’t know what to totally make of either of these teams, but you gotta think the Vikings win again at some point, right?Andre: Cardinals. See Ricky’s breakdown below. Also, the Cardinals have played five games where they haven’t turned the ball over.Ricky: Cardinals. The Vikings’ offense is averaging an NFL-worst 302.3 yards per game and 4.7 yards per play. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are tops in the NFL in opponent yards per play (4.7). A bad offense versus an effective defense equals a fifth straight loss for Minnesota.

Chicago Bears (2-7) at (-7) New York Giants (6-3), 1 p.m.Mike: Giants. The Bears are a train wreck.Andre: Giants. The Giants’ defense is for real. They have a balanced defense and allow just 5.1 yards per play (seventh in the NFL). Not having a run game hurts them, but they should be fine against the lowly Bears.Ricky: Bears. All six of the Giants’ wins have been by seven points or less, with three coming by a field goal or less. The Bears stink, but they’re slightly better than their record indicates and they’ll find a way to cover.

Tennessee Titans (5-5) at (-3) Indianapolis Colts (4-5), 1 p.m.Mike: Titans. Tennessee’s offense has found its stride, and that might be an understatement. The Titans are averaging nearly 34 points per game over their last six, which ain’t a small sample size, and I think they’ll keep it rolling at Indy.Andre: Titans. The Titans have 28 sacks this season (fourth) and they’re going up against a weak offensive line that has allowed 33 sacks (most in the NFL). You also have to think the Titans are out for some revenge after dropping a heartbreaker against the Colts a few weeks ago when Marcus Mariota turned the ball over during the final two minutes.Ricky: Titans. The Colts are tied for 31st in the NFL with 4.7 yards allowed per carry. They rank 22nd with 114.9 rushing yards allowed per game. How the heck are they going to stop DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, let alone quarterback Mariota, who’s been playing the best football of his young career?

(-7.5) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5) at Cleveland Browns (0-10), 1 p.m.Mike: Browns. Statistically, these teams are closer than you might think (both rank near the bottom in yards per play differential), so I’ll swallow hard and take the points.Andre: Steelers. Hue Jackson said they want to commit to Cody Kessler so they can evaluate him for the rest of the season. Then, after he held a 7-6 lead at halftime last week, he decided to take Kessler out of the game in the second half to “try to get a spark in the team.” The Browns ended up losing 28-7 against the Ravens. That type of poor decision-making is the reason why the Browns are 0-10.Ricky: Steelers. Pittsburgh avenges last week’s crushing, last-second defeat to Dallas by beating the tar out of Cleveland. Simple as that.

Buffalo Bills (4-5) at (-2.5) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-1), 1 p.m.Mike: Bengals. Rex Ryan’s teams are 2-5 against the spread after a bye week for his career, which is probably the least surprising thing you’ll read all day.Andre: Bills. If there’s one thing the Bills do well, it’s get to the quarterback (30 sacks, best in the NFL). They go up against a Bengals front line that can’t protect Andy Dalton, who’s been sacked 28 times.Ricky: Bills. Dalton is banged up after taking a beating Monday night against the Giants. That could be problematic. If Buffalo puts pressure on Dalton, it could pull off an upset. Also worth considering: The Bills are 8-0-1 ATS in their last nine games coming off consecutive losses, which they’ll be doing this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) at (-6.5) Detroit Lions (5-4), 1 p.m.Mike: Jaguars. I’m on vacation, so I really don’t have to give you a reason for my pick in the Jaguars-Lions game, capiche?Andre: Jaguars. I like the Lions to win this game going up against the team with the worst turnover differential in football, but Detroit doesn’t blow anyone out. All nine of the Lions’ games have been decided by seven points or less.Ricky: Jaguars. The Lions have trailed in the fourth quarter of every game this season. The winless Browns are the only other team to pull that stunt. Chances are this will be close — Detroit hasn’t won a game by more than six points all season — so let’s roll with the Jags despite them being the Jags.

(-1.5) Miami Dolphins (5-4) at Los Angeles Rams (4-5), 4:05 p.m.Mike: Dolphins. The Dolphins are like the anti-Steelers. While Pittsburgh should be good and can’t win, Miami doesn’t stand out but has won four straight and is very alive in the AFC playoff picture.Andre: Rams. It’s finally Jared Goff time in Los Angeles. I also smell a letdown from the Dolphins, who I can’t imagine winning five consecutive games.Ricky: Dolphins. Los Angeles’ defense has been solid, with the Rams holding opponents to an average of 12 points over their last three games. But the Dolphins are finding their stride, and it’s always tough to bet on a rookie quarterback in his first career start, even if Goff couldn’t possibly be any worse than Case Keenum.

(-13) New England Patriots (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (1-8), 4:25 p.m.Mike: 49ers. Might be a “Get in, get out and don’t get anyone hurt game” for the Patriots, which makes this line a bit too high for my liking.Andre: Patriots. The 49ers are so bad, they forced four turnovers against Arizona and still managed to lose. Tom Brady returns home to the Bay Area to play arguably the worst team in football after a heartbreaking loss against the Seahawks. He’ll be hungry and have a video game performance against a team with an average margin of defeat of 15.5 points over its last eight games.Ricky: Patriots. It’s a homecoming for Tom Brady, who grew up a 49ers fan in San Mateo, Calif. Just another reason for him to mop the floor with San Francisco.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) at (-6.5) Seattle Seahawks (6-2-1), 4:25 p.m.Mike: Seahawks. If you’re into betting, hopefully you jump on this game early before the line gets too high. I absolutely love Seattle in this spot. That nasty, physical secondary will beat up the Eagles’ lackluster receiving corps, and the Seahawks should roll.Andre: Seahawks. Russell Wilson has five touchdowns and no picks since going three consecutive games without a touchdown. He’s been pressured like hell in those games against the Bills and Patriots, too, being sacked seven times. He’s showing he can perform when under pressure, which makes one think his injury has healed.Ricky: Seahawks. The Eagles are two completely different teams at home and on the road, and CenturyLink Field is one of the hardest places to play. With Wilson seemingly back to full health and Thomas Rawls rejoining Seattle’s backfield, this smells like the start of a big run in the Emerald City.

Green Bay Packers (4-5) at (-2.5) Washington Redskins (5-3-1), 8:30 p.m.Mike: Redskins. The Packers stink, and the Redskins probably would love nothing more than to bury the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season.Andre: Redskins. Washington’s offensive line is top five in pass protection and run blocking, according to Football Outsiders. Plus, the Redskins’ defense can bring pressure (25 sacks), so Aaron Rodgers might be running around all day again.Ricky: Redskins. I’m done putting blind faith in Rodgers’ ability to compensate for the rest of his team’s inability… and head coach Mike McCarthy’s incompetence.

MONDAY, NOV. 21Houston Texans (6-3) vs. (-5.5) Oakland Raiders (7-2), 8:30 p.m. in Mexico CityMike: Texans. If this game was played in the Black Hole, I’d be on Oakland. But it’s being played in the literal opposite of a hole, as the elevation in Mexico City is more than 7,000 feet. Both teams will have to adjust, which could be enough to help Houston keep it close.Andre: Raiders. The Texans might be the most undeserving first-place team in the NFL. They have a minus-5 turnover differential (T-26th) and they’re going up against the Raiders, who make a living forcing turnovers (plus-9 turnover differential, third). The Texans’ pass rush also is not the same without J.J. Watt (6.1 percent sack percentage, 15th this season compared to 7.5 percent sack percentage, third in 2015). The Raiders’ offensive line also is extremely good at protecting Derek Carr, who’s been sacked just 11 times (fewest in NFL.)Ricky: Raiders. The Texans always seem to stumble against good competition. Case in point: They were outscored 85-24 in their three losses to the Patriots, Vikings and Broncos. Houston’s sputtering offense will have a hard time keeping up with Carr and Co.

We could start this post by telling you the Major League Baseball offseason is upon us. But you probably already know that, so we won’t insult your intelligence.

We also could add something witty about the MLB hot stove heating up in the coming weeks and how this offseason is littered with intrigue. But again, you probably have a good head on your shoulders — you’re reading NESN.com, after all — so we’ll spare you the ridiculous puns.

Instead, we’ll just cut to the chase.

NESN.com’s Mike Cole and Ricky Doyle tend to have a lot of thoughts on a lot of things, and the MLB offseason is no exception. To make sure their rambling doesn’t disturb the rest of the office, we decided to ask the two-man, not-so-expert panel to unload their thoughts in written (or typed) form.

Following an intense coin flip in which both men almost forgot who called what, it was decided that Mike would give his two cents on the American League while Ricky would shoot from the hip with his thoughts on each team in the National League.

Take it away, Mike…

AMERICAN LEAGUEBaltimore Orioles: If Baltimore’s (mostly) young pitching staff can take the next step, the Orioles will be right back where they were last season: contending for a playoff spot. Re-signing Mark Trumbo — whom they gave a qualifying offer — should be a priority if he turns down the QO.

Boston Red Sox: Obviously, the offseason revolves around what the Red Sox do to replace David Ortiz at designated hitter. Edwin Encarnacion is the player everyone keeps talking about, but it might make more sense to sign a cheaper DH option — Trumbo, Carlos Beltran or Mike Napoli to name a few available — and put the rest of the Ortiz money toward pitching or contract extensions for the team’s young stars. Oh, and a blockbuster trade would surprise no one.

New York Yankees: The Yankees’ plan seems fairly obvious: Sign a starter (Rich Hill?) and circle back on Aroldis Chapman. They also need young hitters like Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin to progress and help improve an offense that ranked 12th in the American League in runs.

Tampa Bay Rays: Tampa Bay is “open to everything” this offseason, as it should be. There are holes up and down that roster.

Toronto Blue Jays: Toronto has a handful of free-agent decisions to make, and it sounds like the Jays might make Edwin Encarnacion a priority. Aside from that, the Blue Jays do have plenty of starting pitching if they want to get crazy and make a blockbuster trade.

Chicago White Sox: Trying to get a read on the White Sox’s offseason plan is nearly impossible. Rick Hahn has no shortage of options, and it could be a wild winter if Chicago decides it wants to trade one or both of its top-of-the-rotation starters in Chris Sale and/or Jose Quintana.

Cleveland Indians: Cleveland obviously has the talent to contend, and most of that talent is still relatively cost-controlled for the small-market Tribe. Really, the Indians’ biggest concern should be getting healthy. Imagine how good they could have been if Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar had been healthy in the playoffs? And does the emergence of players like Jose Ramirez and Roberto Perez make others on the roster more expandable?

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers’ No. 1 priority has to be improving the bullpen. Detroit can score runs, and the emergence of Michael Fulmer and Justin Verlander’s comeback solidified a very good starting rotation. Detroit doesn’t seem willing to spend, so the fix might have to come within.

Kansas City Royals: Kansas City is an under-the-radar team this winter with Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Wade Davis and Danny Duffy all set to hit free agency after the 2017 season. Is a blockbuster trade in the Royals’ future?

Houston Astros: Houston can contend again in 2017 if Dallas Keuchel bounces back and if the Astros add some offense after finishing 13th in batting average and eighth in runs. Sounds like Brian McCann could be an answer.

Los Angeles Angels: The good news: The Angels have $40 million coming off the books as Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson hit free agency. The bad news: This is one of the worst free-agent starting pitching classes in recent memory.

Oakland Athletics: Oakland might as well trade Sonny Gray at this point. The farm system is on the upswing, and despite a down season in 2016, Gray still could bring a strong return for the seemingly ever-rebuilding A’s.

Seattle Mariners: The M’s have ambitious goals, and you know what? They’re primed to take the next step, especially if they can add a bat — Mike Napoli? — and improve the defense some.

Texas Rangers: Texas probably wasn’t as good as its record indicated last season, but the Rangers are one pitcher away from being an AL favorite. Getting that pitcher in this market, however, might take some creativity.

OK, Ricky, what do you got for us?

NATIONAL LEAGUEAtlanta Braves: Well, Braves fans. I’d like to sit here and tell you that signing R.A. Dickey makes you World Series contenders. But it does not. Fortunately, the Braves have some nice young pieces — Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte, Julio Teheran, etc. — and more help coming up from the farm, so it might not be too long before Atlanta starts competing again in the NL East. The Braves should use this offseason to acquire a couple of stopgaps, particularly on the pitching side, with an eye toward contending in 2018.

Miami Marlins: It’s still hard to focus on baseball when talking about the Marlins, who lost ace Jose Fernandez to a deadly boating accident in September. But at some point, we must, and the harsh reality is that Miami’s rotation took a huge hit. Fernandez was one of the most valuable commodities in baseball, and while he’s irreplaceable, the Marlins need to pursue starting pitching help to supplement a talented offensive core centered on Giancarlo Stanton.

New York Mets: The Mets need to re-sign Yoenis Cespedes. It won’t come cheap, but he’s arguably the best free agent available this offseason and New York needs the offense to back its extremely deep (yet often banged up) starting rotation. Make it happen.

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies are positioned very well financially. The problem is this offseason’s free-agent market is weak, so Philadelphia is better off maintaining its flexibility in the hopes of making a splash in the future, especially since it’ll then coincide with a more developed core. Then again, what do I know? It’s not my money.

Washington Nationals: All of the offseason rumor fun seemingly went out the window when the Nats signed Stephen Strasburg to a contract extension in-season. The Nationals already have the pieces in place to make a run at another NL East title, though I’d love to see them jump into the mix for one of the big three closers — Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon — in free agency.

Chicago Cubs: They’re the defending World Series champions. They’re stacked with a controllable core. I’m not going to waste my time nit-picking. Party on, Chicago.

Cincinnati Reds: This squad has “middle of the pack” written all over it. The Reds have some workable pieces, but they also traded away several key veterans over the last two seasons and it’s unlikely they have enough talent around franchise cornerstone Joey Votto. In fact, they should consider trading Votto, though that could be difficult given that he’s owed close to $180 million through 2023.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Bucs underachieved in 2016 and the sudden decline of Andrew McCutchen was a big reason why. Pittsburgh should hold off on trading its star center fielder, though. His value took a hit, so why not bank on a bounce-back performance in 2017? The Pirates have enough talent to contend for a wild card spot, and a long-term rotation trio of Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow looks good on paper.

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals have a knack for being able to slowly turn over their roster without skipping a beat. It’s admirable, really. They’ll be tasked with doing the same in the short term, but a new nucleus already is forming. And while St. Louis could use an outfielder — think Dexter Fowler — it’d be surprising if the Cards didn’t contend again next season.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The D-Backs cleaned house, welcoming in a new general manager (Mike Hazen) and a new manager (Torey Lovullo). That’s a step in the right direction, and Arizona could be a sneaky sleeper going into 2017 based on the amount of talent that underperformed in the desert last season. The Diamondbacks should at least float Zack Greinke in trade talks given the weak free-agent market and the allure of gaining extra financial wiggle room at the beginning of Hazen’s tenure.

Colorado Rockies: Rox owner Dick Monfort said the club will have its highest payroll ever in 2017. Whether that means big changes is unclear, but it seemingly is a sign the Rockies are looking to make noise sooner rather than later. Maybe Carlos Gonzalez won’t be traded after all.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Trade Yasiel Puig. Lock down a closer. Add a starter. The Dodgers aren’t afraid to get creative, so why not consider a blockbuster for someone like Chris Sale? Let’s get wild.

San Diego Padres: There isn’t much for the Friars to hang their hats on going into this season. It’ll be a long one in which the Padres evaluate what exactly they have in the way of future contributors.

San Francisco Giants: Simply put, the Giants need a closer. Sign Chapman, Jansen or Melancon and take a whack at the NL West.

In this week’s episode of “The Hurry-Up,” hosted by Rachel Holt, we look ahead to Week 10 as the New England Patriots host the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. NESN.com Patriots beat writers Zack Cox and Doug Kyed preview the game with Michaela Vernava.

Later, Darren Hartwell tells you who you should add in your fantasy football league, and Mike Cole gives lock and upset predictions for the week. Finally, Ricky Doyle plays everyone’s favorite game: “Show and Tell.”

Watch the entire show above, and return all season for future episodes of “The Hurry-Up.”

Baseball season is over, election season is finished and neither basketball nor hockey have really kicked it into high gear. In other words, it’s pretty much all football, all the time.

At least that’s how the NESN.com trio of Mike Cole, Ricky Doyle and Andre Khatchaturian are approaching things as they make their weekly NFL picks.

Here’s how the guys fared last week.

Mike Cole: 6-6-1 (53-76-4 overall). We’re pretty sure he’d be in first place by now if we only counted the early games, but we count ’em all. Alas.Ricky Doyle: 6-6-1 (60-69-4) Missed a chance to creep a little more toward .500, but he still holds a one-game lead, thanks in large part to Andre’s stinker two weeks ago.Andre Khatchaturian: 7-5-1 (59-70-4). He had a nice bounce-back from a 4-9 showing the week before. People don’t forget.

On to the Week 10 picks, with the lines courtesy of our pals at OddsShark.

THURSDAY, NOV. 10

Cleveland Browns (0-9) at (-10) Baltimore Ravens (4-4), Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Browns. Too many points on a Thursday night between two pretty bad teams. The Ravens have outscored the Browns by only 23 combined points in their last six meetings, including a Cleveland win.Andre: Browns. The over/under and the spread can tell us what Vegas thinks the score will be. This game’s over/under is set at 45 so Vegas sees a score of 27-17 or 28-18. The Ravens haven’t scored 28 in a game all year. Cody Kessler is good enough to keep this close and the Ravens offense isn’t anything to write home about — even against the Browns.Ricky: Browns. The Ravens’ defense has been underrated this season despite being banged up, but Baltimore’s offense leaves much to be desired. This game has “sloppy divisional battle” written all over it, so give me the points, especially with it being played on Thursday night.

SUNDAY, NOV. 13

Chicago Bears (2-6) at (-1.5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Bears. The Bucs are dead last in big-play (pass plays of 25 yards or more, rushes of 10 yards or more) differential. Expect a big game from Jordan Howard, who’s averaging 5.1 yard per rush this season.Andre: Bears. The Bears own an honor the Bucs held last season — the highest yards-per-play differential among non-playoff teams. The Bucs, meanwhile, have the second-worst yards-per-play differential this season.Ricky: Bears. The Bucs are coming off back-to-back losses in which their defense was torched. The Bears, meanwhile, are coming off an impressive win over the Vikings followed by a bye. It’s always dicey putting too much stock into Jay Cutler’s good games because of the inevitable letdown that follows, but he actually looked solid is his return versus Minnesota and that trend should continue versus Tampa Bay’s 27th-ranked pass defense.

Minnesota Vikings (5-3) at (-3) Washington Redskins (4-3-1), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Redskins. The Vikings are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to converting red zone trips into touchdowns. Add in Blair Walsh’s well-documented kicking issues, and you wonder how they’ll be able to score enough points to win this game.Andre: Redskins. The Redskins’ offensive line ranks third in pass protection and fourth in run blocking according to Football Outsiders. The Vikings are clearly the better defensive team, but what does it matter when they’re going to have trouble moving the ball with Sam Bradford?Ricky: Vikings. I regret getting too high on the Vikings a few weeks ago. But I also don’t want to make the mistake of getting too low on them following three straight losses. The Redskins are dealing with issues on both sides of their offensive line — left tackle Trent Williams is suspended and right tackle Morgan Moses left Washington’s last game against Cincinnati with an injury — and that could be an issue if Minnesota’s defense plays near its early-season level.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) at (-3) Carolina Panthers (3-5), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Chiefs. I still haven’t seen anything out of the Panthers that makes me think they’re back, while the Chiefs keep on winning football games. There’s also a chance Alex Smith, Spencer Ware and Justin Houston all return for KC this week.Andre: Chiefs. The Chiefs have zero giveaways and 10 takeaways in the last four games and now lead the league in turnover differential (plus-13). Carolina is 26th in turnover differential (minus-6).Ricky: Chiefs. Kansas City has the best turnover differential in the NFL (plus-13). Carolina, on the other hand, is tied with two others for the fifth-worst turnover differential (minus-6). That’s enough for me.

(-1.5) Houston Texans (5-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Jaguars. Jacksonville’s running game broke out in a big way Sunday to the tune of 205 rushing yards. The Jags should stick to that plan against a Houston defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry, which is tied for 21st worst in the NFL.Andre: Jaguars. The combined turnover differential in this game is minus-19. These two have also combined to force just one turnover in their last four games. Assuming there aren’t many turnovers in this one, the Jags actually have a better yards-per-play differential, so I’ll take them.Ricky: Texans. Houston is 7-0 straight up and 6-0-1 against the spread in its last seven games versus AFC South opponents, suggesting that despite the Texans’ flaws, they still can beat bad teams.

(-2.5) Green Bay Packers (4-4) at Tennessee Titans (4-5), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Packers. I don’t have any stats or trends to back up this pick, but I just can’t see Aaron Rodgers letting the Packers lose this game.Andre: Packers. Rodgers has been excellent in the last three games (10 TD, 1 INT) with a horrible supporting cast. You have to think him ripping his teammates after the last game will be a wake-up call for everyone. The Packers are also great stopping the run (3.3 yards allowed per carry — 2nd), which is a crucial element to the Titans’ offensive attack.Ricky: Packers. Tennessee isn’t good at covering — the Titans are 3-13-1 against the spread in their last 17 games — and they’re getting less than a field goal. Plus, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota reportedly is dealing with an ankle injury, which could make him a little less mobile than usual. The Packers have been a mess at times, but perhaps last week’s loss to the Colts (and Rodgers’ postgame criticism) will light a fire under them, so long as head coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t screw things up too badly.

Los Angeles Rams (3-5) at (-2) New York Jets (3-6), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Rams. When you’ve got two bad teams, take the points and don’t look back.Andre: Jets. The Rams have just one takeaway compared to nine giveaways in the last four games — all of them losses.Ricky: Rams. The Jets are in disarray, both on and off the field, and the Rams have a decent enough defense in spite of their obvious offensive suckery.

Denver Broncos (6-3) at (-1.5) New Orleans Saints (4-4), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Saints. The Broncos need their Week 11 bye in the worst way. If the Denver defense were healthy, it would be much more tempting to take the Broncos, but with the statuses of Aqib Talib and Derek Wolfe uncertain, it’s hard to see Denver keeping pace.Andre: Broncos. I love Drew Brees, but the Broncos allow just 5.7 yards per pass attempt and are also second in the league in sacks with 28. The Saints are on the other side of the spectrum allowing 8.3 yards per pass attempt (30th) so I think Trevor Siemian plays decent and the Broncos force a few turnovers to win the game.Ricky: Saints. For as good as the Broncos’ defense has been this season, their offense has really struggled. Denver ranks 28th in total yards per game, 26th in yards per play, 25th in passing and 23rd in rushing. It’s hard to imagine the Broncos keeping up with the Saints, who should be able to do enough offensively against a banged-up Denver defense if they continue to protect Brees.

Atlanta Falcons (6-3) at (PK) Philadelphia Eagles (4-4), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Falcons. The book appears to be out on Carson Wentz, who has a 72.4 passer rating in his last four games, three of which were Eagles losses. He doesn’t have a ton of help around him, either.Andre: Falcons. Atlanta leads the league in yards-per-play differential (1.2). They also have 17 sacks in their last five games and Wentz tends to become a different quarterback when under pressure, which he has been ever since Lane Johnson was suspended in Week 6.Ricky: Falcons. If this turns into a track meet, there’s no way the Eagles can keep up. The Falcons are good at pressuring the quarterback, so that could rattle Philadelphia’s rookie quarterback.

Miami Dolphins (4-4) at (-3.5) San Diego Chargers (4-5) Sunday, 4:05 p.m. Mike: Dolphins. Miami hasn’t turned the ball over and has allowed just two sacks during its three-game winning streak. Sure, those were all home games, but I still think the Dolphins have figured out enough to keep this game close.Andre: Dolphins. Jay Ajayi had 111 rushing yards against a Jets rush defense that’s actually decent against the run. He makes life easier for Ryan Tannehill, too. He hasn’t thrown a pick since Ajayi began his torrid pace. Miami is also third in the league in defensive hurries (62) so I expect them to make life tough for Philip Rivers.Ricky: Chargers. The Dolphins rank 30th in the NFL in run defense, allowing 136.1 yards per game on the ground. Good luck stopping Melvin Gordon, who’s been a stud all season.

San Francisco 49ers (1-7) at (-13) Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Cardinals. The 49ers are giving up 193 rushing yards per game, which is a number so high it almost seems fake. That means another big day for David Johnson. Offensively, how does San Fran generate anything against a Cardinals defense allowing the fewest yards per game in the NFL?Andre: Cardinals. The Cardinals have the fourth-highest yards per play differential and they’re going up against a team that has the worst. The Niners also have an average margin of defeat of 17.3 points. They stink.Ricky: Cardinals. Big spread. Don’t care. Niners stink.

Dallas Cowboys (7-1) at (-2.5) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Steelers. I’m admittedly putting a lot of stock into the notion Ben Roethlisberger will look much more like himself this week, and if that’s the case, I think the Steelers have enough firepower to take advantage of a banged-up Dallas secondary.Andre: Cowboys. Banged-up Dallas secondary? What is Mike thinking? Has he not seen Orlando Scandrick and Brandon Carr play? I don’t see why the Steelers are favored in this game. What do they have in their arsenal to stop Ezekiel Elliott? Nothing. Their 11 sacks also is the fewest in the NFL, meaning their their pass rush won’t do anything productive against the Dallas offensive line.Ricky: Steelers. I’m still waiting for a letdown game from the ‘Boys. My guess is it comes this week, as Pittsburgh is in desperation mode after losing three straight. The Steelers’ offense started to make strides in the second half last week against the Ravens after three quarters of literally limping by behind a hobbled Roethlisberger.

Seattle Seahawks (5-2-1) at (-7.5) New England Patriots (7-1), Sunday, 8:30 p.m.Mike: Seahawks. There are a lot of reasons to pick the Patriots here, but that line is just big enough to grab the points. The Patriots are 19-3 after the bye since 2003, but they’re just 12-9-1 against the spread in those games. They might be a little overvalued in this spot.Andre: Patriots. The Seahawks’ defense was on the field for 82 plays against the Bills on Monday night. That’s a lot of plays. They’ll have a short week of rest going up against a Patriots team that is coming off a bye week. I have plenty of other reasons to explain why the Patriots will blow out the Seahawks, but Mike told me to shorten my writing.Ricky: Seahawks. Jimmy Graham could cause matchup problems for the Patriots’ defense, which also will be forced to adjust in its first game without Jamie Collins. New England might win this game, and it might never seem in doubt. But the Seahawks will find a way to cover, even if it’s via a late score.

MONDAY, NOV. 14

Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1) at (-2.5) New York Giants (5-3), Monday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Bengals. The Giants’ run game is pretty much nonexistent (3.6 YPC), so even if they get an early lead, it’s not easy for them to put away teams — as we saw Sunday vs. Philadelphia. Also like the Cincy’s coming off the bye while New York’s last three games were against Dallas, Minnesota and Philly; that gauntlet can take its toll.Andre: Giants. I picked the Giants to win the NFC East at the start of the season because of the Tony Romo injury and because I loved the defensive additions they made in the offseason. They started slow, but the Giants’ D is coming together now as they allow just 6.5 yards per pass attempt. I also love their offensive threats against a shaky Bengals secondary which continues to suffer ever since Reggie Nelson went to Oakland.Ricky: Giants. The Bengals are 0-8-1 in their last nine games versus teams with winning records. The Giants fit the bill, and it helps that New York is at home, where the G-Men are 7-2 in their last nine games against teams with winning records.

The biggest election surprise didn’t come from Julian Assange, it came from the desk of Bill Belichick.

Belichick wrote a letter to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, wishing The Donald luck in Tuesday’s election. Trump read the letter aloud at a rally Monday night in the battleground state of New Hampshire in an attempt to pander to independent voters who’d probably rather vote for Belichick and Tom Brady, were they on the ticket.

Forget any “October surprises.” In an unpredictable election season full of twists and turns, the Belichick letter might be the most legitimately shocking development of the entire campaign.

But the Belichick letter isn’t surprising because of what it means politically. If we’re being honest, a letter from Belichick won’t mean a whole lot when the votes are tallied Tuesday night, and leaning on the political endorsements of celebrities is a tired, archaic tradition in today’s political world. If you need the advice of Belichick, or Beyonce, or Bruce Springsteen or even Scott Baio before pulling that lever, our country is in more trouble than just about anyone — including Trump — would lead you to believe.

The true surprise of Belichick’s reported letter is rooted more in football than politics. It’s truly a free country and he’s allowed to support any political candidate he pleases, regardless of the party. That’s obvious.

The real shock here is Belichick — a football coach who, at times, seems automatically programmed to say he only does what he thinks is best for the team — just made himself part of the story, doing so just days before a Super Bowl rematch, no less. He just willingly created a distraction. To say it’s uncharacteristic and inconsistent would be an understatement. It’s positively un-Belichickian.

Belichick obviously is entitled to have a political opinion and there’s nothing saying he can’t share said opinion. The irony is a lot of us wish he’d open up more often and share his thoughts on myriad topics.

That’s all by design. The less information he can provide about his team, his players or himself, the better. It’s all about limiting the distractions and ignoring the noise.

And now that he’s essentially publicly endorsed Trump, a sharp turn from his usual public demeanor, people are going to talk. The election will (hopefully) be over when he takes the podium Wednesday for his weekly news conference at Gillette Stadium, but there likely will be no shortage of political questions whether Belichick likes it or not … and we’re guessing he won’t.

Not only will Belichick field questions, it’s likely his players — most notably Tom Brady, who’s a Trump supporter, at least according to Trump — will answer similar questions. They’ll all deflect those questions, sure, but it’s a seemingly unneccessary distraction, which is what makes it such a departure from the way Belichick usually handles his business.

You can count on one hand how many times Belichick has taken the focus away from football or the Patriots during his tenure in New England, which maybe speaks to how much he actually cares about this topic.

But it’s certainly a head-scratching move from someone who’s built a Hall of Fame resume focusing solely on football.

In this week’s episode of “The Hurry-Up,” hosted by Rachel Holt, we look ahead to Week 9 and analyze the trade that sent shock waves across the football world.

Patriots beat writer breaks down the Jamie Collins trade with Michaela Vernava and Mike Cole hands out midseason awards. Also, Zack Cox offers his NFL power rankings and Darren Hartwell tells you who you should add in your fantasy football league.

I’m kidding, of course. Congratulations. Congratulations on the Cubs winning the World Series.

If you think about it, it’s kind of weird to offer congratulations to another fan base after their team wins. The fans didn’t have any real tangible contributions. It’s not like any of you logged some innings or received a couple of at-bats or anything like that.

But it’s not just congratulations for the Cubs winning. It’s congratulations for sticking with it for so long. Investing that much time, faith and patience into something like this is exhausting.

We know all about that here in Boston. It’s hard to remember or envision, but before we became insufferable, obnoxious, cocky, self-congratulating blowhards, we were lovable losers. We were “cursed,” too.

And we know that your life — or at least your life as sports fans — is about to change in a big way.

Financially, you’re about to take a huge hit, and you won’t complain one bit. You’re going to scoop up each and every hat, shirt or tchotchke that says “Cubs World Series Champions,” not thinking twice about forking over $100 for a sweatshirt. You’ll wear that gear everywhere you go. You’ll wear it to work, you’ll wear it to weddings, you’ll probably even wear it to funerals. And every time you put on that gear — even, say, 12 years from now — it still will serve as the slightest reminder of how awesome it is that the Cubs won the World Series.

Your life as a baseball fan is going to change, too. The lovable loser thing and everyone rooting for you? You can kiss that goodbye. The only thing we like more as a sports society than rooting for David is rooting against Goliath. You are baseball Goliath now. You’re on top of the mountain and with a roster like that, it’s not unrealistic to think your stay will be an extended one. People are going to resent you for that, so brace yourself.

And you know what? You should embrace the hate. In a weird way, you’ve earned it. Who cares what everyone else thinks? The Cubs are the World Series champions for crying out loud. Just, you know, try not to be as obnoxious as we can be.

People also are going to tell you that this sort of success actually will make watching the Cubs worse. In some ways, they’re kind of right. There’s no one in New England who can say with a straight face that Red Sox games mean as much now as they did before Oct. 27, 2004. Before that night in St. Louis, seemingly every game meant life or death. Fenway hasn’t really been the same since. Now, it’s kind of an afterthought at times and that’s a bummer.

Winning will change the Cubs, it will change Wrigley, it will change you and it will change the entire Cubs-watching experience.

But here’s the thing: You’ll have no problem making that trade. You’ll have no problem making that trade because the parade is going to be so incredibly awesome. The cold, borderline unbearable Chicago winter won’t bother you as much this year. You’ll have no problem making that trade when you’re watching the Cubs fly the World Series flag on Opening Day.

And the best part is that you’ll have these memories for life. You’ll circle Nov. 2 on the calendar every year, and when the date rolls around, you’ll celebrate again. You’ll watch the highlights again. You’ll wear all that gear you bought again. You’ll make that date part of every important password you use for the rest of your life.

Five, 10, 15 years later, you’ll remember exactly where you were, who you were with and what you did when the Cubs finally won the World Series. Even the smallest thing will remind you of that night, too. Then you’ll inevitably fire up a group text with whoever you spent the night with — family, friends, maybe even total strangers who became friends — and you’ll be taken right back to that place, and it’s just the best. You’ll never, ever forget that night and the way it made you feel.

That’s why you endured the losing, the suffering, the heartbreak for so long — it’s that feeling that makes it worth it. The feeling of euphoric delight you have now eventually will wear off, but the memories never fade.

The NFL season is just about at its halfway point, and quite honestly, we still don’t know who’s good.

Well, actually, we can pretty safely say the New England Patriots are a good football team, and so are the Dallas Cowboys, maybe? After that, it’s a bunch of question marks and horrible, horrible teams.

And the league wonders why ratings are down.

Here at NESN.com, we’re not really ones to talk, as it’s been a struggle for our three football prognosticators and their weekly picks. That being said, they’re ready to turn the corner and have a big second half, starting with this week.

Here’s how the standings shape up through eight weeks.

Mike Cole: 7-6 (48-71-3 overall). His continued effort to save face before the season ends continued with the only winning mark of the week.Ricky Doyle: 6-7 (54-63-3). He’s cooled some after a hot start, but he’s gotta feel good about the lead.Andre Khatchaturian: 4-9 (52-65-3). After making a push for the top, he picked a bad time for a rough week.

And here are their Week 9 picks, with lines courtesy of our friends at OddsShark.com.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3

(-3.5) Atlanta Falcons (5-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4), Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Falcons. It’s always tough going on the road and winning a divisional Thursday night game, but the Bucs defense is just a few days removed from Derek Carr carving it up to the tune of 500 yards and four touchdown passes. Now Tampa Bay gets Matt Ryan? Mercy.Ricky: Falcons. Atlanta’s offense is just too much in this matchup. Simple as that.Andre: Falcons. Last season, the Bucs had one of the best defenses in terms of yards per play. This year, they have one of the worst (5.9 yards per play, 26th) and it’s mainly because of their pass defense, which is allowing a whopping eight yards per play. That’s not going to fly against the Falcons’ explosive offense, which averages 9.4 yards per pass attempt — easily the best mark in the league.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) at (-2.5) Baltimore Ravens (3-4), Sunday, 1 p.m.Mike: Steelers. Doesn’t matter much who’s under center for Pittsburgh here, because the Ravens aren’t very good. The Ravens’ three wins this season came against mostly bad teams and by a combined 13 points. Even without Ben Roethlisberger and on the road, the Steelers just have more talent.Ricky: Steelers. Maybe it’s injuries to his supporting cast. Maybe it’s a slow return from tearing his ACL last season. Or maybe it’s just natural regression at age 31. Either way, Joe Flacco has been awful this season. Plus, the Ravens are 2-11-1 against the spread in their last 14 home games, so I’m not putting too much stock into the home-field advantage here despite it being a divisional game.Andre: Steelers. How bad is Flacco? Let’s put it this way: The Ravens have won the turnover battle 8-5 over the last four games, but they’ve lost every game. Flacco wasn’t even able to throw a touchdown against the extremely shaky Jets secondary, so the Ravens don’t really have the quarterback advantage even with Landry Jones under the center. I like the Steelers to regroup after two straight losses (and three straight against Baltimore) and steal an ugly game on the road.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) at (-3) New York Giants (4-3), Sunday, 1 p.m.Mike: Giants. New York’s coming off the bye, and the Eagles had a long night in Texas on Sunday. The Giants also are among the best teams in the NFL when it comes to yards per completion allowed, so if anyone can take away Philly’s short passing game, it’s Big Blue.Ricky: Giants. The Eagles showed some holes Sunday night, and you have to wonder whether Carson Wentz has a good enough supporting cast, especially among that receiving corps.Andre: Eagles. Wentz showed he can perform at a winning level against lethal pass rushes when he avoided any sacks and won in Dallas. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles have 22 sacks on the season (third-most), while the Giants only have nine sacks (31st), despite the second-most hurries. The Eagles have also had the Giants number in the last decade, winning 13 of the last 16 meetings.

New York Jets (3-5) at (-3) Miami Dolphins (3-4), Sunday, 1 p.m.Mike: Dolphins. In its two games before the bye, Miami proved it can be an effective offense when Ryan Tannehill has time to throw the ball. Between that, and the emergence of Jay Ajayi, it’s hard to see the struggling Jets keeping pace here.Ricky: Dolphins. The Dolphins will find it much more difficult to control the clock against the Jets’ top-ranked run defense, which means Ryan Tannehill will need to make plays through the air. Fortunately for Miami, New York’s pass defense is extremely vulnerable with an aging Darrelle Revis.Andre: Dolphins. Ajayi probably won’t rush for 200 in this one against a Jets rush defense allowing the fewest yards per play this season (3.3). But the Dolphins have a 7.8 percent sack percentage (third-best) and despite having a bye week already and playing one fewer game than most teams, they lead the NFL in hurries with 62 — nine more than the Giants, who have the second-most hurries. Good luck, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

(-7) Dallas Cowboys (7-1) at Cleveland Browns (0-8), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Cowboys. The injuries to Morris Claiborne and Barry Church are reason to lean toward taking the points, but in order for Cleveland to make those injuries mean something, the Browns need the football — which might be tough against that Cowboys offense.Ricky: Browns. A blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Why not this week? The Cowboys are due for a letdown, right? So we’ll say the Browns keep it close.Andre: Cowboys. The Browns allow 4.8 yards per rush attempt (fourth-most). Zeke will be well-fed in this one. I would say this has backdoor cover written all over it, but Dak Prescott is fighting for his job and he’s not going to take a minute off in what could be his last game as starter.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) at (-9) Kansas City Chiefs (5-2), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Chiefs. Jacksonville is averaging just over four points per first half on the road this season, which means the Jags probably will be looking up at KC at halftime The Jaguars usually turn it on in the second half, but that could be tough this week on the road against a Chiefs team allowing just 6.7 second-half points per game at home.Ricky: Chiefs. Kansas City is dominant at home and Jacksonville is brutal on the road. Maybe firing their offensive coordinator will give the Jaguars a shot in the arm, but it’s hard to imagine it happening this week … or perhaps as long as Blake Bortles remains under center.Andre: Chiefs. The Chiefs haven’t turned the ball over in three games, and that should continue with Nick Foles replacing Alex Smith, who will miss the game with a head injury. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs lead the league with 11 interceptions and are going up against the turnover-prone Blake Bortles.

(4-4) Detroit Lions at (-6) Minnesota Vikings (5-2), Sunday, 1 p.m. Mike: Lions. My advanced handicapping statistics (don’t ask) indicate these teams are much closer than maybe the records indicate. Is playing in Minnesota worth six points? I don’t think so, especially not with how porous the Vikings’ offensive line looks.Ricky: Lions. I would have felt much differently about this game just a few weeks ago. But the Vikings’ flaws — patchwork offensive line, no rushing attack, lackluster quarterback play — have been exposed, and it’s hard to predict at this point what Minnesota’s offense will look like now that offensive coordinator Norv Turner resigned Wednesday. Give me the points.Andre: Lions. Sam Bradford struggles to move the ball when he’s under pressure and the Lions can get some pressure up front (18 sacks) against a struggling Vikings offensive line. Every Lions game has been decided by seven points or less, so I think Matt Stafford and the Vikings’ inept offense makes it a close game.

(-3) New Orleans Saints (3-4) at San Francisco 49ers (1-6), Sunday, 4:05 p.m. Mike: Saints. I think this game will be close, as the line indicates. The Saints obviously are a different team out of the dome, but there’s a case to be made for the 49ers as the worst team in the NFL.Ricky: Saints. Carlos Hyde is banged up and San Francisco’s quarterback play isn’t good enough to take advantage of New Orleans’ soft defense.Andre: Saints. The 49ers are nothing special defensively (5.8 yards allowed per play — 22nd) and Drew Brees is looking like vintage Drew Brees (72 percent completion percentage, 10 touchdowns, 4 interceptions in the last four games.) The Niners haven’t looked competitive at all, losing by an average of 17 points during their six-game losing streak.

(-3) Carolina Panthers (2-5) at Los Angeles Rams (3-4), Sunday, 4:05 p.m.Mike: Rams. I’m making this pick not knowing who the Rams will start at quarterback (while also knowing said QB likely will stink), but I think the Rams find a way to win this on defense against a Carolina team I’m not ready to believe in.Ricky: Panthers. Sometimes, it takes one win to get back on track. I don’t expect the Panthers to suddenly morph back into their 2015 selves, but their defense has something to build on after last week’s win over the Cardinals.Andre: Rams. Neither team can really move the ball. Even though the Panthers won in Week 8, Cam Newton still struggled, going 14 of 27 with no touchdowns. Aaron Donald is one of the best in the game at providing pressure, so I think Newton struggles again and the Rams feed off home energy and and force a few turnovers against a team that has a minus-7 turnover differential (T-28th) to win the game.

Tennessee Titans (4-4) at (-5) San Diego Chargers (3-5), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Titans. The spread just seems a little too high for me. The Chargers just had a bruising divisional game against the Broncos, while Tennessee had a few extra days of rest after basically coasting to a Thursday night home win. Also, Marcus Mariota eats up pedestrian offenses, as indicated by his 121.9 passer rating over the last three weeks.Ricky: Titans. Nothing the Chargers do surprises me anymore. At their peak, they look like a playoff contender. At their worst, they look like a team angling for a top-five draft pick. As such, it’s hard to give up so many points here, especially with the Titans’ offense improving a lot since the beginning of the season. Marcus Mariota is playing some of his best football yet, and Tennessee’s running back combo of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry is legit.Andre: Titans. The Titans have the NFL’s third-best rushing attack in the league at 4.9 yards per carry. The Chargers also have turned the ball over 17 times in the last six contests and it’s cost them a number of games. The Chargers still can win this game because the spread is rather large, but it’ll be a close one.

Indianapolis Colts (3-5) at (-7) Green Bay Packers (4-3), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Mike: Packers. Two or three weeks ago, the Packers covering a seven-point spread would be insane. Now, not so much. Despite losing last week, it looks like they’ve figured out some things on offense, and that should continue this week against a woeful Colts defense.Ricky: Packers. The Colts’ pass defense stinks and cornerback Vontae Davis’ status is up in the air (concussion protocol). Aaron Rodgers is going to do some damage at home against a lackluster opponent. Expect plenty of points in this game.Andre: Packers. Green Bay has been decent at getting to the quarterback with a 7.5 percent sack percentage, and this week the flood gates open for them when they take on the Colts, whose offensive line has allowed an NFL-most 31 sacks. Rodgers will also build on his success from Week 8 and feast on a pass defense allowing 7.9 yards per play (10th). Both quarterbacks play well in a shootout, but Luck makes a few more mistakes.

Denver Broncos (6-2) at (PK) Oakland Raiders (6-2), Sunday, 8:30 p.m.Mike: Broncos. Denver’s defense just keeps it in football games, and this won’t be any different. Derek Carr’s having a great season, sure, but his career stats against the Broncos (57 percent completion percentage, 72.0 passer rating, 4.86 yard per attempt) don’t inspire enough confidence to take the Raiders.Ricky: Broncos. Not to discredit Carr’s huge performance in Week 8 — I think he’s a legitimate up-and-coming franchise quarterback — but the big numbers came against a bad Buccaneers defense, and he’ll be going up against the other side of the spectrum in Week 9. Plus, the Raiders committed way too many penalties last week, and that lack of discipline will hurt them in big games against divisional opponents.Andre: Raiders. Oakland hasn’t played a Sunday night game since 2006, so you know the O.co Coliseum will be rocking. The Raiders’ defense allows the most yards per play, but like the Bronces they force turnovers, and I have more faith in Carr than Trevor Siemian.

MONDAY, NOV. 7

Buffalo Bills (4-4) at (-7) Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1), Monday, 8:30 p.m. Mike: Seahawks. The question I keep coming back to with this matchup is, which team has the bigger or greater flaws? The injuries put the Bills over the top, and taking Seattle at home in primetime makes me feel a little better about taking the Seahawks.Ricky: Bills. Seattle’s sputtering offense makes it way too difficult to bank on the Seahawks covering a spread this big.Andre: Bills. Russell Wilson hasn’t thrown a touchdown in three games and he might not throw another one next week, either, against a ferocious Bills pass rush that is tied for the league lead with 26 sacks. Seattle’s defense is scary in its own right (22 sacks, 4.9 yards allowed per play) and I don’t think Tyrod Taylor will have many answers either. I do love the Bills rush attack, though, and it will be the difference-maker in keeping this game close.

FOXBORO, Mass. — Tom Brady has been a New England Patriot for nearly 20 years, so he’s become somewhat accustomed to seeing teammates come and go. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it gets any easier.

The latest teammate Brady bid farewell was linebacker Jamie Collins, who the Patriots traded to the Cleveland Browns for a draft pick Monday. Brady and Collins were key pieces of the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX win, and now Collins becomes the latest on a long list of notable ex-teammates for the New England quarterback.

“You’re just a human, and you have these personal relationships with a lot of players,” Brady said Wednesday. “I had great relationships with a lot of those guys, and I still do. I don’t think that ever changes. You also understand there’s always change in the NFL. It’s a challenging part of it, and the older you get, the more you see, the more you understand and the faster you process that. That’s just the way it has to go. The changes take place in offseason, they take place in training camp, you can very easily lose a player to injury, and it’s always changing and evolving. It’s the challenging part of the NFL … but everyone’s going to stay in touch with him, and he’s going to be our friend for life, and that doesn’t change.”

Ultimately, Brady and his teammates know the Patriots must turn the page and focus on improving the team as it’s currently constituted, even without Collins.

“We as players, it’s not our choice,” he said. “We can’t do anything about it. At this point, we’ve just gotta do what our job is and that’s go out and try to make improvements for this week and be ready to go next week.”

The Patriots have an extra week to adjust to life without Collins, as they’re hitting their bye week before returning to play Nov. 13 against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium.

FOXBORO, Mass. — Bill Belichick’s familiar “Do Your Job” mantra is gospel in New England, and Patriots fans now must have faith in the head coach’s ability to, well, do his job.

Predictably, Belichick didn’t reveal much in his first press conference since the Patriots traded star linebacker Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns for a draft pick earlier this week.

The head coach uttered another familiar phrase — he’s doing what he think is best for the football team — while attempting to deflect questions about the trade, pointing the assembled media to a radio interview he did earlier this week.

“It’s a much longer conversation, and I summed it up, and that’s the summary of it,” Belichick said Wednesday before repeatedly referring to the transcript of the WEEI interview Monday afternoon.

“We’ve already covered it, and it was a bottom-line decision and that’s what it was,” Belichick said. “I’m not going to talk about the 500 things that could be talked about related to it; it’s too long, too cumbersome of a conversation.”

Relatively jaw-dropping transactions are a hallmark of the Belichick era in New England. He’s never afraid to cut bait and move players before their production drops off, either by trade or by letting the player walk in free agency. What made the Collins trade legitimately shocking, however, was that it happened during the season.

The sudden nature of the trade might make things a little uncomfortable in the Patriots’ locker room. While Patriots players toed the company line Tuesday when talking about the trade, most used words like “surprised” or even “shocked.”

If that’s an aspect of this deal that Belichick took into account, he made it clear he’s not going to publicly admit as much.

“Unfortunately, that’s part of this business,” Belichick explained Wednesday. “I’m sure of lot of you don’t want to take into consideration other moves that were made on the roster, but they affect everybody. It might be a guy who isn’t a big guy on your radar, but to a teammate who’s close to him, it is a big move. So I recognize that, I understand that and I appreciate that. But again, in the end, my responsibility is to the football team.

“… I know you wanna focus on the bigger names if you will, which is fine. I understand that. But all of the players on the team are important. They’re important to their teammates. They’re important to the organization. Anything that affects any individual on the team is important, not just to three or four we want to single out because whatever their star power is. I’m not minimizing that, but things affect all players on the team, not just the few names who are mentioned.”

As for those wondering how the Patriots will be a better team in two weeks when they come out of a bye to face the Seattle Seahawks, well, they’ll again be putting their faith into Belichick’s track record.